At the Faculty Senate meeting Tuesday I mentioned to the senators that my phrase of the week was “being a realistic optimist” (credit goes to a recent episode of one of my ‘go to’ podcasts FranklinCovey on Leadership). I have given (and continue to give) a lot of thought to how to be both realistic and optimistic in the midst of a changing landscape of higher education, state funding, federal policy, and global uncertainty.
Last week, I started meeting with department chairs and their budget managers to better understand the budget realities in academic units. These individual meetings have been incredibly helpful for me to be realistic about how departments are using the resources available to them, and what may be needed for us to be successful. At the same time, it is clear that we will need to continue making thoughtful and, at times, difficult decisions to ensure our long-term success.
What gives me continued hope and optimism is the strong commitment across the UMBC community to be innovative and adapt in a changing world. Last August, I convened the Provost Academic Council – approximately 150 academic leaders – for a day-long meeting on the academic budget and the evolving landscape of higher education. This event provided guidance that continues to help us chart a path forward.
As we are gearing towards the end of the semester, I ask you to help me think through our approach to being realistic optimists at UMBC. You can give your feedback here. We have so much to be proud of (did you see we have four Goldwater recipients and a new AAAS Fellow?). The future is bright if we lean into our strengths, are creative, and collaboratively work on what is best for UMBC and the people and communities we serve.
Phi Beta Kappa
Please join me in congratulating the 180 students who were accepted this year for induction into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious scholarly honor society. The students will be inducted in May. It marks an important milestone for the scholars in their academic journey.
National Library Week
I encourage you to join the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery, Dresher Center for the Humanities, and UMBC Department of English in celebrating National Library Week and UMBC BookFest, April 19-25. A full list of the week’s events can be found here.
Call for Advisory Board Nominations
I am delighted to extend an invitation for nominations for two distinctive groups connected to the Office of the Provost: the Faculty Advisory Board and the Staff Advisory Board. We are looking for expertise and insight from a variety of perspectives as we continue to develop the provost's priorities and advance student success.
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NEWS & NOTES
Final Day: University Strategic Planning Survey
Today is the final day to participate in the University Strategic Planning survey. Share your perspectives on UMBC’s strategic plan via this survey. The survey includes five sections, each aligned with one of the university’s strategic pillars. As a reminder, the pillars are:
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Cultivate organizational innovation and vitality
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Redefine excellence in research and creative achievement
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Strengthen Maryland and its communities
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Advance student opportunity and success
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Transform teaching and learning
You can choose which sections you would like to complete based on your interests and experiences. The survey is also designed to capture additional ideas you may have for strengthening these five focus areas. Please note that each section of the survey will take approximately 10 - 15 minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous and confidential.
Resources for Responding to Difficult, Disruptive, and Dangerous Behavior in Classrooms
In the post-COVID era, instructional faculty are seeing an increased frequency of challenging behaviors in classroom settings. Behavior can range from difficult, to disruptive, to dangerous and each type or level calls for a differentiated response.
You can find guidance from Student Conduct and Community Standards here.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
URCAD 30th Anniversary
Wednesday, April 22
The RAC
Join us on Wednesday, April 22 in the RAC as we celebrate 30 years of grit, grunge, and groundbreaking research and creative work of UMBC undergraduate students at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD).
URCAD not only provides an opportunity for students to hone their research and writing skills, practice public speaking and networking in a professional conference-style environment, and strengthen relationships with their peers and mentors, but it showcases the work of UMBC’s talented undergraduate students with the campus community and beyond. Over one third of students who graduate from UMBC engage in mentored research, making UMBC a leader in national undergraduate research. In a time when there has been so much discouraging news surrounding research support on the national and local levels, URCAD continues to be a joyous and inspirational event, proving that critical thinking and creativity through research and the arts are a vital part of our democracy.
Come see all of the oral and poster presentations, films, artwork, live performances, video games, and keynote speaker at URCAD 30, and stop by the graffiti and selfie booth as we throw back to 1997, where it all began! For the full schedule see: URCAD.umbc.edu
Logo created by visual arts student Sonia Pivovarov
UMBC BookFest 26
Tuesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 23
Library Plaza
We invite the campus community to participate in UMBC BookFest '26 on Tuesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 23, a celebration of writers, readers, makers, and advocates! Part of the campus's National Library Week festivities, this two-day event will include an open air book market on the Library Plaza; a reading from Lawrence Burney , author of our 2026 state book, No Sense in Wishing; a workshop on library advocacy; and a panel of distinguished Maryland librarians on the freedom to read, moderated by Maryland State Librarian Morgan Lehr Miller. All events are free. Full event details can be found at the BookFest website here.
This festival was made possible by a collaboration between the English Department, AOK Library, Dresher Center for the Humanities, Breaking the M.O.L.D., Maryland Humanities, and the Maryland State Library Agency.
Dialogue Sessions to Help Shape UMBC’s Inclusive Excellence Framework
Friday, April 24 and Tuesday, April 28
The Division of Institutional Equity team has developed a draft framework for inclusive excellence, building on ideas shared by our campus community through the series UMBC Talks in 2024 and 2025. The framework is intended to articulate our shared commitments, communicate our values, guide action, inspire collaboration, and support the development and implementation of UMBC’s next strategic plan.
The campus community is invited to participate in dialogue sessions to help continue to shape the framework. The conversations are an opportunity to share your experiences, reflect on your values, and provide feedback to strengthen this work.
Upcoming sessions are scheduled for Friday, April 24, and Tuesday, April 28.
USM Generative AI and Teaching Virtual Showcase
Friday, April 24, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The University System of Maryland's Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is hosting an online Generative AI Virtual Showcase on Friday, April 24, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Faculty, staff, and faculty/staff/student teams from Maryland institutions of higher education will describe and demonstrate their innovative approaches to incorporating generative AI into teaching and learning practices.
The free virtual event features a keynote presentation and four concurrent session blocks with 42 presentations (including nine from UMBC) exploring innovative approaches to teaching and learning with generative AI. Participants must register in advance to receive the Zoom link. Sessions include live auto-captions and accessible materials.
Learn about Study, Internships, and Funding Opportunities in Germany
Monday, April 27, 12 – 1 p.m.
Fine Arts Building, Room 459
The German Program at UMBC is hosting an informational event on April 27 to learn about
studying, internships, and funding opportunities in Germany. Presenters include:
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Amelia Wallace: Information Officer, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
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Danielle Bolden, J.D.: UMBC Center for Global Engagement; Fulbright Fellow, Germany 2010
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S. Maila Raphael, DAAD RISE Intern ‘22, UMBC ‘21 B.S. Chem. Eng., B.A. German
This is a follow-up to the fall event focused on research, collaboration, and funding opportunities in Germany with representatives from the German Academic Exchange Service, the American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the German Research Foundation.
Global Asias Symposium and Celebration
May 4
This daylong event will showcase and celebrate the work of the Global Asias Initiative, a three-year initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation that has created a forum for engaging in conversations in the fields of Asian American Studies, Asian diaspora studies, and Asian Studies. The initiative has created connections across disciplines, departments, institutions, organizations, and communities here on campus and beyond. With our grant from Mellon Foundation coming to a close this year, we are showcasing the many achievements of the initiative.
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Welcome & Belonging and Community Luncheon: Conversations on Asian experiences at UMBC
1:00 – 2:15 p.m. – Keynote Address with Dr. Anna Guevarra
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Global Asias in Dialogue
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. – Global Asias Student Showcase & Reception
Retirement Celebration for Connie Pierson
RSVP by April 30
After 27 years of service, Connie Pierson, associate vice provost for Institutional Research, Analysis and Decision Support, is retiring from UMBC. She is a beloved alumna, colleague, and friend. Join us in celebrating Connie on May 7, from 2 – 4 p.m. at Fat Tuesdays in the Commons.
Please RSVP by Thursday, April 30 here.
Help Make this Newsletter Better
The goal each week of this message is to deepen our connection to UMBC, whether that is learning about an upcoming event, a divisional accomplishment, an innovative program, or an update from the Office of the Provost. If you know of a program or event that should be highlighted, please share it here.
Until next week,
Manfred van Dulmen